Sideline Passage, from The Surprise to Monster Cavern
From Ease Gill
Sideline Passage, from The Surprise to Monster Cavern[edit | edit source]
An awkward 3m hand-line climb (rope in situ, February 2017) leads up onto a balcony. A route leads over breakdown, past formations. After a few minutes, the passage becomes smaller, and enters a crawl.
The crawl passes a few constrictions and lots of straws. After about 8 minutes, it passes a junction to the right, and becomes mud-floored. A couple of minutes further ahead reaches the top of an 8m pitch (rope in situ, February 2017).
- 10m rope. Back up to small stal thread and boulder in floor; bolt belay.
The pitch lands at the end of Monster Cavern.
- Descending to the left (looking out from the pitch) leads down into Lower Snail Chamber;
- To the left, a boulder slope ascends into Snail Chamber;
- To the right is Monster Cavern, leading toward Main Line Terminus.
- About 4m up the right-hand wall is a window, which is the end of Main Line Passage; reaching the passage requires pre-rigging: it is normally entered from the other end, near Main Line Terminus.